Succulents and More™

It’s been a month since my last “This and that” post . High time for another one, the mid-August 2026 edition. AGAVES My previous post was about the teeth on agaves and other succulents. I have a few photos that didn’t make it into that post but deserve to be seen: Agave horrida from San Marcos Growers Random variegation on Agave ovatifolia ‘Vanzie’ found at a big-box store Agave ovatifolia ‘Orca’, the storied variegated clone of the whale’s tongue agave, now in tissue culture at Altman Plants CACTUS FLOWERS Cactus flower season is behind us, but some echinopsis hybrids rebloom throughout the summer. Bless them for giving us joy at the doldrumest time of year. Echinopsis ‘Embraceable You’, a Schick hybrid released by the Huntington Echinopsis ‘Mutation’ (formerly ‘Freda’). The petals are serrated, but never quite the same way twice. In other words, each flower is a surprise. Echinopsis ‘Shades of Bourne’ Oops, I missed these. This is all I got to enjoy, in the late afternoon. T...

If you asked me what feature I love most about agaves, aloes, and cohorts, I wouldn’t know what to say. At least not right away. But if you pushed a little harder, I’d probably blurt out, “the teeth!” Yep, the teeth. Those small, pointy, and often sharp protrusions along the leaf margin. Why? Because they’re fierce (those plants know how to defend themselves!), and they’re oh so photogenic. See for yourself! Agave horrida Agave oteroi Agave oteroi ‘Filigree’ Agave oteroi ‘Filigree’ Agave ( potatorum ‘Spawn’ × isthmensis ) × shawii Agave impressa Agave impressa Agave bovicornuta ‘Holstein’ Agave bovicornuta ‘Holstein’ Agave pablocarrilloi × isthmensis Agave pablocarrilloi × isthmensis Agave ‘Baccarat’ Agave ‘Sierra Azul’ Agave ‘Sierra Azul’ Dyckia ‘Snaggletooth’ Dyckia ‘Snaggletooth’ Hechtia argentea Bromelia pinguin ‘Qué será’ Hechtia epigyna Aloe aculeata ‘Super Spiney’ Aloe aculeata ‘Super Spiney’ Aloe erinacea Aloe erinacea hybrid Aloe ankoberensis Aloe ‘Swordfish’ Al...